Fresh Faces and Big Stacks Await in Day 1b of the Main Event
The $3,300 Main Event at the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series continues today as Day 1b welcomes a fresh wave of hopefuls to the felt at the stunning Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. After an action-packed Day 1a, where Edward Quinn emerged as the chip leader with an impressive stack of 685,000, players in today’s flight will be eager to build stacks of their own and secure a spot in Day 2.
The tournament’s $1,500,000 guarantee is already well on its way to being smashed, with 182 entries recorded in the opening flight. With three more starting flights — including today’s nine 60-minute levels — the Main Event is shaping up to be another unforgettable chapter in the Western Series saga.
Current Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edward Quinn | Jersey | 685,000 |
| 2 | Antoine Vranken | Netherlands | 557,000 |
| 3 | Kamil Sokol | Poland | 540,000 |
| 4 | Stojan Vazic | Serbia | 522,500 |
| 5 | Boris Kolev | Bulgaria | 493,500 |
| 6 | Tommy Kemter | Netherlands | 478,000 |
| 7 | Menikos Panagiotou | Cyprus | 476,500 |
| 8 | Aliaksei Boika | Belarus | 403,500 |
| 9 | Wael Sarkis | Lebanon | 401,000 |
| 10 | Nicolae Paunescu | Romania | 395,500 |
Today's flight will feature 60-minute levels, but for those seeking a faster-paced structure to build a stack, tomorrow's Day 1c will have 40-minute levels, while Day 1d will offer 25-minute levels. All Day 1 flights will play nine levels.
Remaining Schedule
| Date | Day | Time | Blind Levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 21 | Day 1b | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| January 22 | Day 1c | 12:00 p.m. | 40 minutes |
| January 22 | Day 1d | 7:00 p.m. | 25 minutes |
| January 23 | Day 2 | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| January 24 | Day 3 | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| January 25 | Day 4 | 12:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
| January 26 | Day 5 | 1:00 p.m. | 60 minutes |
Players start with 100,000 chips, and late registration remains open until the end of Level 14 on Day 2, allowing plenty of opportunities for reentries. The question is: Who will rise to the occasion and challenge Quinn at the top of the leaderboard?
Stay tuned as PokerNews brings you all the live updates from the second starting flight of the 2025 Merit Poker Western Series Main Event.